Careers in Health Policy & Administration

Hospital administrator is one possible career in health policy and administration.h?¡äpital4 image by Jo??l Alain from Fotolia.com

A degree in health policy and administration can lead to positions in private or government-funded health care organizations, as well as education and nonprofit sector jobs. The field of medical and health service management was expected to grow faster than average between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and workers in the field earned a median salary of $80,240 in May 2008.

Analyst

With current talk of health care reform, health policy analysts may find a favorable job market. Analysts and specialists in this field consider budget issues, health management and social issues in analyzing the effectiveness of health policy. They might try to determine the financial costs of policy changes or use research to determine the best ways to solve health and social problems in a community. A health policy analyst or specialist might also look at laws that are effective in solving health problems and determine how those laws might be duplicated and implemented elsewhere, or she may be asked to review proposed legislation and give her input on the potential effects of new laws.

A health policy researcher conducts studies to see how laws and policies affect people's lives. Topics might include health insurance, immunizations, substance abuse and mental health. This work may involve surveying health care workers and officials, using databases, presenting research findings and writing research papers. The information gathered by health policy researchers helps governments, private foundations and nonprofits implement laws and policies that help improve people's health.

Administrators are employed in the top spots in hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, long-term care facilities and other such settings. These professionals are responsible for the overall performance of their organization, and their jobs include organizing the finances and facilities, as well as overseeing delivery of care. This includes ensuring that the proper equipment and personnel are available and that patients can obtain the services they need. An administrator also is charged with keeping the organization in compliance with laws and government regulations. Administrators in large organizations often have a staff of assistants to help carry out these duties. An administrator may work under the direction of a governing board, such as a board of trustees or board of directors, and may have a hand in fund-raising and public relations.